We are on the eve of our Annual Inner Box Battle. Plus we have the CrossFit Open upon us. 5 weeks of fun filled competitions.
It can be very nerve racking on the eve of a competition.
What do you eat? Should you train the day before? These are a few simple and very common questions athletes get.
If you’re doing a CrossFit competition, Spartan, marathon, and everything in between. What you do or don’t do the day before can have a big impact on your performance.
Here are 5 ways to prepare:
1. To workout the day before or to not workout?
This is a very tough call and very individual to each person. It really comes down to how you feel when you workout multiple days in a row. Do you feel sore each day and just get more and more sore? Do you feel like your second or third day in a row you start to feel best?
You really should base this on how you feel normally. Does it seem like you go pretty hard a day after training? Does it feel like your first day back after a rest day has you a little slower.
I know I just listed questions here but these answers, answer the questions.
2. Warm up and cool down each time. There may be some down time at a CrossFit competition or even at a obstacle race like spartan or Tough Mudder.
I can’t stress the importance of being warm. Don’t pick up a bar if you aren’t sweating. Don’t go into a fast WOD without already having your body temperature up.
No one wants to do it but those 10 burpees, air squats and row will get you warm and ready to do. You want to have your body temp up, blood in the joints, and mentally ready to go.
So watch the clock and be aware of what is happening. When it’s time to shine, be sure to do a full warm up. Be sweating. Then give yourself about 2 to 3 minutes before the clock goes beep…
Part two of this is to cool the heck down. After you give out some high fives don’t just go sit on a seat. Do you feel like you went 110% on that workout? If so then hope on the rower, Airdyne, or go for a jog. You want to cool the body down and metabolize a little bit more before you stop moving.
Stretch and do mobility. In between heats be sure to be rolling out and working on any area that feels tight. You can dramatically increase your mobility in ten minutes and that increased mobility has a significant improvement on your range of motion and performance.
3. Have a plan- Be sure to have a plan for battle 🙂
No plan is a bad plan. Failure to plan is planning to fail. Don’t just show up and go hard. Try and visualize a plan. Think about a rep scheme that you will try to follow. Do you want to go unbroken? Maybe you go at a decent pace and go ALL OUT in the last 2 minutes.
Whatever your plan is, it’s all good. Just try and stick to it. And remember, if your plan blows up, it’s cool. Be cool. Just keep going.
4. What to eat? Ahh the big question. What to eat the day before and for breakfast.
Are you ready for the surprise answer?
Eat exactly what you normally eat. You do not want to be experimenting with different foods or carb loading. The last thing you want is to have to run to the bathroom on game day. What if there is a wait 🙁
As far as game day nutrition try and keep a ratio of 25 percent protein to 75 percent carb. In between your workouts have snacks and eat. Try to consume a decent amount of food but of course don’t come close to getting full.
This could be a half a protein shake and one banana. For the most part you will be burning off everything that part of the day anyway.
5. Enjoy the process. Don’t forget to have fun.
Don’t take yourself to serious. Check your ego at the door. Enjoy the day, enjoy the conversations, enjoy the energy. Go hard and have fun…
Remember.
We love fitness.
See you in class!
All the best.
Benjamin Krymis, Co-Founder and CEO
